2 Chronicles 8:1-18
Q.1. How significant was Solomon’s Temple and palace? What strategy did he employ to control his empire? – (2 Chr.8:1-10; 17-18)
Solomon assigned three thousand, six hundred men to supervise one hundred and fifty thousand labourers who quarried stone for the palace and temple, as well as the constructors (2 Chr.2:2, 17-18). It took twenty years with a massive labour force to construct these magnificent structures which took the Queen of Sheba’s breath away (2 Chr.8:1; 9:6). As did his father, Solomon kept control over the empire by delegation. He fortified all the cities and built stables for his horses and chariots. He added storage facilities which would to feed his men of war, under the direction of two hundred and fifty commanders and chief officers (2 Chr.8:3-10). He used the surviving displaced tribes of non-Israelite people as forced labourers. In this way, Solomon stayed aware of the state of his realm. He even sent out expeditions into far off lands from Ezion-geber and Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba, to bring back the wealth of the nations, on a three year circuit (2 Chr.8:17; 9:21)
Q.2. Did Solomon follow the guidelines of his father David? What kind of impact did the worship at the Temple make on the nation? – (2 Chr.8:11-16 c.f. 1 Kgs.3:1; 7:8; 11:1-5)
Solomon remained careful to follow the commandments of Moses (2 Chr.8:13), and the instructions from his father, David (2 Chr.8:14). He saw that the daily burnt offerings were maintained. He was diligent in keeping the prescribed festivals – and did so according to the daily rule, offering them up according to the commandment of Moses, for the sabbaths, the new moons and the three annual feasts–the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Booths (2 Chr.8:13). The priests and Levites all combined on rosters to make sacrifices and praise the Lord, in relation to the Temple – Now according to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their duties of praise and ministering before the priests according to the daily rule, and the gatekeepers by their divisions at every gate; for David the man of God had so commanded (2 Chr.8:14). The magnificent Temple, beautifully attired priests, and the harmonious choirs and orchestras would have made a huge impact. However, although Solomon loved God, he also loved many women – Then Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of the Lord has entered.” (2 Chr.8:11). These attachments would eventually be his undoing and lead him on a downward spiral to the worship of other gods (1 Kgs.3:1; 7:8; 11:1-5).